Midland Mainline

Midland Mainline, owned by the National Express Group, was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007. Midland Mainline ran fast and semi-fast passenger services from London to the East Midlands and Yorkshire along the Midland Main Line. Trains ran from London St Pancras ,which it used exclusively, to Sheffield, Derby, or Nottingham, with some services extended to Leeds, York, Barnsley and Burton upon Trent. During 2003/4, Midland Mainline operated a temporary service between London St Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly whilst the West Coast Main Line between Manchester and Euston underwent major engineering work. This service was known as Project Rio, named after the footballer Rio Ferdinand who had made a record transfer to from Leeds United to Manchester United Football Club. The units used on Project Rio were intended for use on services from Leeds and instead were used to Manchester - hence the name. The service used the Midland Main Line as far as Trent Junction, before taking the Erewash Valley Line (avoiding Derby) to Clay Cross, rejoining the Midland Main Line until Dore South Curve, which linked trains onto the Hope Valley Line towards Manchester. The service ran from May 2003 and finished in September 2004. Former Virgin Cross-Country Class 43 High Speed Train sets were used and were quickly painted into Midland Mainline livery. On 22nd June 2007, the Department for Transport announced that Midland Mainline had lost the franchise to operate these services from 11th November 2007. Services were transferred to East Midlands Trains, operated by Stagecoach Group. Midland Mainline then ceased to operate.

43083 trails 43044 whilst working 1B33 1259 Nottingham-London St Pancras on 28/01/2006. The train is photographed near Rotherby to the west of Melton Mowbray whilst being diverted away from the Midland Main Line due to engineering work at Market Harborough.